In Paris, Sotheby’s Is Betting on Intimacy to Win Over Private Buyers
Observer · · g2988507
Chez Sotheby’s installs roughly $150 million worth of artwork by Picasso, Matisse, Warhol, Richter and others in a salon-style setting with its own restaurant and bar. Six pieces found buyers before the venture even opened.
As fairs and galleries seek more intimate formats with which to engage art lovers, auction houses are similarly adapting to the experience economy in a bid to reach broader audiences. When it comes to private sales in particular, intimate settings and curated storytelling are increasingly being leveraged to capture client interest. Additionally, this type of programming now extends well beyond the auction preview, and the traditional dependence on the seasonal calendar is giving way to year-round event lineups.
Chez Sotheby's debuted this week in Paris in a Rue de Rivoli apartment open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 19-24. While welcoming the public to its newly renovated headquarters on the Faubourg Saint-Honoré, the auction giant has set the stage for more intimate gatherings with this new private selling exhibition that brings together art, dining and interpersonal connection in the sumptuous home-like space. On view is roughly $150 million of art, including masterpieces by Pablo Picasso , Henri Matisse , Andy Warhol and Gerhard Richter . When Observer attended the preview, six works had already sold, with more negotiations underway. Early sales included François- Xavier Lalanne ’s Les Trois Oiseaux de Williamsburg , an iconic Flowers by Warhol, a luscious painting by Wayne Thiebaud , a small Triple Dollar Sign by Warhol and a work by Jonas Wood .
Immediately inside Chez Sotheby’s, visitors are greeted by a “sacred” triad of Fontanas: three slashes on red, a central gold canvas with a single slash and a smaller, rare fluorescent-red example. Opposite them hangs Picasso’s Deux nus couchés (1968), paired with an old manuscript by Oscar Wilde .
For those not won over by the art on the walls—all of which is for sale, consigned by collectors in Europe and the U.S.—the experiential aspect of the encounter includes a restaurant designed by Tarek Shamma , with a menu by chef Erika Blu of Atelier Renata that pairs classic Italian dishes with French desserts. The drinks program is helmed by legendary bartender Colin Field , former head barman of the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz Paris.
The concept draws on a long tradition of collaborations between the art world and hospitality , particularly in the French capital, which include the salons of Marie-Laure de Noailles , Jacqueline De Ribes and Charles de Beistegui and legendary Parisian institutions such as Le Palace and Le Mathis that hosted artists, often in exchange for works. It grew out of a collaboration between Sotheby’s and Valerio Polimeno of _POLIMENO , whose experience at the intersection of hospitality and cultural programming shaped the entirety of the experience.
“From the beginning, we approached the apartment as a living environment rather than an exhibition venue,” Polimeno told Observer during the preview luncheon. The architecture, he explained, became the framework through which the artworks, furniture, dining and hospitality could all interact. “Each room has its own character and references, from the quiet sophistication of the living room to the darker, more atmospheric energy of the bar and the theatrical spirit of the restaurant.”
The curatorial approach was about letting the artworks live within the space, he added. “A Calder can sit naturally alongside a Miró or Braque; a major contemporary work can become part of a room rather than the sole focus of it. We wanted visitors to move through the apartment as they would through a private home or salon, making discoveries as they go.” That sense of intimacy, surprise and dialogue between art and architecture lies at the heart of the project.
“We’re responding to growing demand for more bespoke ways to buy and sell art, particularly in the private market, while complementing, not replacing, the auction model,” David Rothschild , Sotheby’s head of contemporary art private sales in the U.K. and global lead for private sales exhibitions, said. “Some clients are drawn to the visibility, storytelling and momentum of a public auction, while others prefer the discretion, flexibility and tailored experience that private sales can offer. Chez Sotheby’s is designed for those clients seeking a more bespoke way to buy and sell art. Auctions remain central to our business, but initiatives like Chez Sotheby’s allow us to present exceptional works in thoughtful, experience-led environments that resonate with today’s collectors.”
Chez Sotheby’s is part of a broader shift across luxury markets, which must cater to clients who increasingly value experiences and objects equally. “It creates an environment where collectors can spend time with the art, engage in conversation, and experience the works in a setting that feels personal and memorable,” Rothschild added.
This is not the first time Sotheby’s has staged something like this. In March, the house presented the second iteration of The Apartment in London, an invitation-only private selling exhibition set in an elegant residential interior furnished by British designer Rose Uniacke . That edition featured around $40 million in works by David Hockney , George Condo , Gerhard Richter and Jean-Michel Basquiat , among others; reportedly about half sold during the show. The overwhelmingly positive response to both editions of The Apartment gave Sotheby’s the confidence to mount the concept in Paris on a much larger scale.